Huayue and the others all looked at Mu Hanyan in astonishment, without the slightest hesitation, she had almost directly made her way here. If one were to say it was guesswork, it was just too accurate a guess.
But if it were not a guess, then how else could it be explained? Regardless, they couldnât figure it out and decided to simply follow Mu Hanyan forward.
Without lingering, the group entered the stone forest.
Upon entering, they found the stone forest to be much more complex than it seemed from the outside; the stalagmites varied in height and thickness, crisscrossing everywhere, and there were clumps of shrubbery growing in the spaces between them.
Very soon, Huayue and Zirong felt dizzy and disoriented, unable to distinguish north from south, east from west; it felt as though they had stepped into a gigantic maze. Even more daunting was the mist shrouding the maze, which further obscured their sense of direction.
It was unknown how Che Xiang managed to find his way out before; he really had good luck. Without such luck, unless one were to level the entire stone forest, no one could hope to find an exit.
Surprise occurred once again as Mu Hanyan weaved left and right, forward and backward through the stone forest, which alternated between sparse and dense. Even a fool could tell they had traversed the heart of the stone forest and were now heading towards the other side.
At this moment, the far-behind Fourth Miss Zhao looked utterly lost.
They had also entered the stone forest, but without the guidance of the Star Plate, they naturally couldnât find their way.
"I never expected to encounter a natural stone formation here, this valley must contain some incredible Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures," Zhao Sinin said in amazement.
"Then hurry and think of something. Weâve already lost sight of Mu Hanyan and the others. If we donât catch up soon, even if there are treasures, they wonât be our concern anymore," Fourth Miss Zhao said anxiously. If Mu Hanyan were to get a hold of some Heavenly Materials or Earthly Treasures, her hopes of revenge would be even further out of reach.
"Donât worry, this sort of stone formation wonât stump me." Zhao Sinin took out a shiny silver metal disk, confidently saying.
"What is this?" Fourth Miss Zhao asked curiously.
"This is the Eight-direction Machine Plate, capable of locating and finding paths. Even if the stone formation is more complex, it canât trap us," Zhao Sinin stated.
"Is this also an Alchemy Artifact?" Fourth Miss Zhao asked.
"Indeed," Zhao Sinin answered, rather proud.
"Alchemy really is amazing. Cousin, do I truly have the opportunity to enter Zhengying Academy someday?" Fourth Miss Zhao asked, full of hope.
"Donât worry, Xianâer. If I said it can be done, then it definitely can be," Zhao Sinin said, thumping his chest. The look of longing in Fourth Miss Zhaoâs eyes gave his self-esteem a significant boost.
Injecting his Qi into the Eight-direction Machine Plate, it flashed a streak of golden light, spinning like a compass needle.
Once the needle ceased spinning, the two followed the direction it pointed.
...
Turning past a huge stalagmite, they were instantly greeted with a clear sight; Mu Hanyan and the others had made it through the stone formation, and it felt as if even their breathing had become easier.
"Although I donât want to ask, I canât help but ask, how did you do it?" Zirong couldnât suppress her curiosity any longer, took a deep breath, and looked at Mu Hanyan with admiration as she asked.
Huayue didnât speak, but her gaze at Mu Hanyan was the sameâfull of curiosity.
Mu Hanyan had long known that they harbored many doubts in their hearts, but the matter was too complicated and too incredible to reveal, compounded by the memories in her heart that she just couldnât let go of and couldnât openly share with them.
Whatâs more, the Star Illusion Thousand Machine had already warned her, she must not recklessly expose this secret; otherwise, it would not only harm her but those around her as well. So, she simply could not speak of it.
But at this moment, how could she explain to them?
After all, none of the people present were fools.
(Currently releasing four Chapters a day since itâs not yet on the shelves. Once itâs up, there will be more updates. As always, looking for recommendations, bookmarks, and a full-star rating. Also, if you have time and are bored, please write a few thematic reviews to increase popularity. Muah! The male lead will make a cool entrance before the female lead; trust me!!!)